Wire-stretcher.



J. C. BARCLAY.

WIRE STRETGHER.

APPLICATION FILED r1112. 11, 1910.

1,004,725. Patented 0111. 3, 1911.

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4 1 I v C5 1 6 I 9 Q g a I JOHN C. BARCLAY, OF MONIGLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

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WIRE-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

Application filed February 11, 1910. Serial No. 543,343.

To all whom at may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. BARCLAY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire-Stretchers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to wire tighteners and particularly to that classthereof employed primarily or customarily in connection with the guywires of telegraph poles and the like, for taking up slack; and mypresent invention involves improvements on devices for the same purpose,illustrated and described in U. S. Patent No. 940,424 dated November 16,1909 and in applications Sr. Nos. 531,366 and 532,642.

My invention consists in the novel con struction of the frame of thedevice, in the novel means employed for locking the spindle againstbackward rotation, and in various other features hereinafter describedand particularly pointed out in the claims.

The objects of my invention are to provide a simple, compact andrelatively inexpensive device of the character described, to provideimproved 'means for locking the spindle against backward rotation, toprovide a strong and simple one-piece frame, and generally to make thedevice simple, compact, easy to use and relatively inexpensive.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to theaccompanying drawing, and will then point out the novel features inclaims.

In the drawing: Figure 1 shows a side View and partial section of thedevice; Fig. 2 shows a rear view of the device; Fig. 3 shows a frontview of said device with the spindle sectioned; and Fig. 4 shows afragmentary transverse section through the center of the spindle.

The frame of this wire stretching device is formed in one piece and isof general U- form, one branch of the U however, being extended beyondthe other branch and bent over to the center line of the device; thisframe therefore being a species of hook. Said frame is provided with abearing to receive a suitable spindle, and the spindle is provided withlooking teeth adapted to be engaged by a toothed block fitting within asuitable orifice in the frame and normally held in engagement with theteeth of said spindle by means of a spring. In the drawings, ldesignates the said U-shaped frame and 2 the upward extension of oneside thereof, such upward extension being bent over, as shown, to thecenter line of the device. 3 designates the said spindle having journals4 and 5 working within suitable bearings formed in the sides of theframe member. The spindle, as will be seen, extends across the b ight ofthe hook. Vithin the bight of the hook, said spindle is provided with ashoulder 6 having locking teeth 7 formed in one side thereof. Thebearing orifice through which the journal 4 of the spindle ext-ends, isenlarged, on the side of said journal opposite that on which thepressure comes when the device is in use, such enlargement being for thepurpose of receiving a locking block 8 normally held in place by meansof a spring 9, such block pro vided with teeth 10 adapted to engage withthe teeth 7 of the spindle, and so hold the spindle locked againstbackward rotation.

At its opposite end, the spindle is provided with a polygonal head 11adapted to receive a wrench by which the spindle may be turned, and,near the same end of the spindle, but within the bight of the hook, saidspindle is provided with acollar 12 adapted to prevent the wire frombeing caught and pinched between the spindle and the frame. On theopposite side of the hook the shoulder 6 performs the same function. Theaperture in the hook through which the journal 5 extends, is enlarged onthe side opposite that on which the pressure comes when the device is inuse, to permit the passage of the shoulders 6 and 12 when inserting thespindle into the frame.

The upper end 2 of the frame is provided with a wire-guiding groove 13which crosses an orifice 14 adapted to receive the sides of a stirrup oreye 15 (Fig. 1) provided at its ends with suitable nuts by which thiseye or stirrup may be screwed up so as to hold the wire tightly.

The operation of this device is as follows: The hook-shaped frame isfirst hooked into the eye or loop of an anchor rod or cable or the like,and the spindle is then passed across the bight of the hook and thelocking block 8 inserted in place. When said block is in place, it isheld on one side by the spring 9 and on the other side by the teeth ofthe shoulder 6, with which teeth its own teeth are in engagement. Thewire to be tightened having been led through the eye 15, and through thehole 16 of the spindle, (the latter hole being provided for the purposeof securing the wire to the spindle) a wrench is applied to the head 11and the spindle is turned to wind up the wire upon it, the locking block8 retracting. to permit such motion of the spindle, and being pressedforward by the spring 9, after the passage of each tooth to the spindlepast a corresponding toot-h of the locking block, so as to hold thespindle against backward rotation.

lVhat I claim is l. A wire tightener comprising a frame and a spindlemounted to rotate in bearing orifices in said frame and provided with ashoulder having in its face ratchet teeth, one of said bearing orificesbeing enlarged on the side'opposite that against which the spindle bearsduring the action of the de vice, and a locking block mounted in theenlarged portion of such orifice to move in a direction approximatelyparallel to the axis of the spindle and arranged to engage the teeth ofsaid spindle to prevent backward rotation of the latter.

2. A wire tightener comprising a frame and a spindle mounted to rotatein bearing orifices in said frame and provided with a shoulder having inits face ratchet teeth,

one of said bearing orifices being enlarged on the side opposite thatagainst which the spindle bears during the action of the device, alocking block mounted in the e11- larged portion of such orifice to movein a direction approximately parallel to the axis of the spindle andarranged to engage the teeth of said spindle to prevent backwardrotation of the latter, and a spring tending to force said locking blockinto engagement with the teeth of the spindle.

3. A wire tightener comprising a frame and a spindle mounted to rotatein the hearing orifices of said frame, and provided near opposite sidesof the frame with shoulders adapted to prevent pinching of wire betweenthe spindle and the frame, one of said orifices enlarged on the sideopposite that against which the spindle bears when the device is in use,to permit passage of said shoulders, and a locking block fitting withinone of said orifices and arranged to engage the teeth of the spindle toprevent backward rotation thereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN C. BARCLAY. Witnesses H. M. MARBLE, T. E. BARTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

